The present invention relates to methods of packing and shipping pickles, and, more particularly, to methods in which pickles may be packaged in bulk containers and shipped over large distances. Still more particularly, the present invention is directed to packing and shipping methods in which cucumbers may be pickled or cured in their shipping containers.
For many years, the manufacture and distribution of pickles in bulk has been, more or less, a regional business. The reasons for this largely relate to the manner in which the pickles are packaged and distributed. It has been customary practice that pickles sent directly to the end user, such as delis, restaurants, catering halls, etc, are packaged in bulk in ten-gallon plastic pails lined with a plastic bag. The pail is filled with cured pickles and a brine solution which prevents the pickles from drying out. Once filled, the top of the bag is ordinarily tied closed to hold the contents in place and to prevent contamination. The pails of pickles are then loaded on a truck and delivered to the end user.
The delivery of pickles in these ten-gallon pails has caused considerable problems for pickle manufacturers and distributors. Many of these problems stem from the common practice of filling each pail with cured pickles to a level above its upper rim. One problem this practice causes is that it prevents the pail from being closed with a tight-fitting lid. As a result, it has been possible to load only a single layer of filled pails on a truck for delivery at any one time. Any pails stacked on top of the first layer would be unsteady and would likely fall over as the delivery truck navigates its delivery route. Moreover, stacking any pails on top of the first layer of pails would damage the pickles in the first layer. Since it is impractical to load more than a single layer of pails of pickles in a truck for delivery, delivery costs for these pickles have been relatively high. Such high costs have made it uneconomical to make bulk deliveries of pickles in these pails beyond a local geographic area.
Another problem with the use of these ten-gallon pails is the relatively high cost of the pails themselves. In view of this high cost, pickle manufacturers typically charge their customers a deposit for each pail delivered. Although the customers ordinarily would have the deposit returned when they return the empty pail to the pickle manufacturer, the pails are frequently not returned. Rather, they are often conveniently put to a new use by the customer, such as for garbage, storing soups or sauces, storing other food products, etc. The failure of the customer to have their deposits for the pails returned raises the overall cost to the customer of the pickles.
The use of these plastic pails causes additional problems for pickle manufacturers. Firstly, while the pickles are ordinarily filled to a level above the upper rim of the pail, the brine solution can only be filled to the upper rim of the pail or lower. This causes the pickles in the topmost layer to dry out and lose their crispness. Also, the fact that the pails do not have a tight fitting lid, but rather are closed simply by tying the top of the inner bag, often results in the leakage and spillage of brine solution in the manufacturing plant and on the delivery trucks, as well as at the customer's establishment. Further, the pails require excessive handling since returned pails must be thoroughly cleaned before they may be reused. In addition, pickle manufacturers must maintain a costly inventory of these pails to replace those that are not returned or that become too damaged to be reused.
As an alternative to these large plastic pails, bulk pickles have been packaged in smaller five-gallon plastic tubs having a tight-fitting lid. In one such packaging arrangement, the tubs are filled with raw cucumbers and a brine solution, sealed closed, and shipped to a distributor or end user. During shipping, the cucumbers cure to a pickled state.
Although the curing of the cucumbers directly in their shipping tubs reduces handling by the manufacturer, the relatively high cost of the tubs themselves relative to the amount of pickles they are able to hold significantly increases the cost of the pickles to the customer. As a result, the use of these tubs has generally been limited to shipments over large distances. Moreover, when the empty tubs are thrown out, they occupy a relatively large volume, thereby incurring a high disposal cost to the customer.
A still further alternative for shipping pickles over a large distance has been to package them in small glass jars, with multiple glass jars packed in an outer cardboard case. These pickles are typically pasteurized before packaging to increase their shelf life, and therefore are not the fresh, bulk pickles desired by foodservice users. Moreover, the high packaging costs for the glass jars causes these pickles to be far too expensive for regular foodservice use. As a result, pickles in these containers are ordinarily sold through retail outlets.
There therefore exists a need for a container for delivering pickles in bulk which overcomes the problems associated with open top plastic pails. There further exists a need for a method which permits pickles to be shipped in bulk safely and economically over long distances.